Michael Mashiri
A woman, who allegedly trafficked people to Oman for them to be abused, exploited and denied freedom under the guise of looking for jobs for them in that country, has been denied bail.
Karen Pamela Teguru, 31, of Marondera, appeared before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts accused of human trafficking.
The State, through prosecutor Pardon Dziva, alleges that from January 2022 to August 2022, Teguru - who was allegedly working together with one Hamidah believed to be in Oman and others who are still at large - trafficked Portia Kalesi and Namatirai Muchacha for the purpose of labour and domestic exploitation.
To achieve their goals, they assigned each other roles in which Teguru identified, recruited, processed travelling documents and medical examinations for the complainants and escorted them to Robert Mugabe International Airport destined for Oman instead of Dubai as promised.
She allegedly escorted the complainants to make sure that they had be flown out of the country into the hands of her accomplices.
The complainants only realised that they had been duped upon arrival at Muscat International Airport, Oman instead of Dubai as promised.
Teguru’s accomplices were the ones that provided money for medical examinations, air tickets, processing of visas and sourcing of markets where the complainants would be sold well before they had reached Oman.
Upon arrival in Oman, the complainants were received by Hamidah, who would sell them to prospective buyers, who in turn confiscated their travelling documents and drove them to different locations where they would be forced to work as house maids.
The complainants were subjected to domestic servitude, working around the clock, feeding on left overs, physically abused and denied freedom of movement by being restricted in doors.
The matter came to light when the complainants reported the matter to their relatives back home who in turn reported to police.
They allegedly fled from their abusers and sought assistance from a Zimbabwean delegation which was dispatched to Oman to repatriate them.
Teguru was denied bail and will appear in court on October 20 for bail ruling.
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